The present invention generally relates to cartridges for firearms and more particularly relates to low-energy training cartridges capable of launching non-lethal projectiles designed for reality based training, such as for law enforcement and the military.
When training military and law enforcement personnel it is desirable to provide situational environments that are as realistic as possible without creating undue risks of injury or death. Such training most often involves the use of firearms and the shooting of firearms at targeted individuals that role-play the “bad guys.” Use of conventional live ammunition in such training exercises creates unacceptable risks of injury or death. On the other hand, the use of blank ammunition inhibits the ability to create realistic “live” stress environments. To help create effective training programs, special cartridges have been developed which fire bullets from firearms at low, non-lethal velocities. Such cartridges allow more realistic situational conditions to be created during training exercises and provide a means short of lethal live ammunition of knowing whether shots fired by the trainees have hit their intended targets.
However, existing non-lethal low-energy training cartridges do not always function reliably or with consistent ballistic accuracy, and particularly consistent accuracy within the given distance parameters. Existing low energy cartridges can also be relatively difficult to manufacture within desirable cost constraints.
The present invention provides an improved low energy mechanical operating cartridge (“MOC”) for use in firearm training exercises, which operates reliably and which can be manufactured at an acceptable cost. An MOC in accordance with the invention requires no propellant (ignitable powder) other than the propellant provided by a single primer staked into a primer casing of the MOC. MOCs in accordance with the invention further provide improved control over bullet velocity, and provide greater flexibility in the choice of materials used for the internal components of the MOC.